An implanted penile prosthetic is a proven approach to relieve erectile dysfunction in men.
A penile prosthetic typically includes two cylinders that are implanted in the corpora cavernosa of the penis, a reservoir implanted in the abdomen that communicates with the cylinder(s), and a pump, often located in the scrotum, that is employed to move liquid from the reservoir into the cylinder(s).
In a typical application, the user squeezes a bulb of the pump multiple times to transfer liquid from the reservoir to the cylinders. Each squeeze of the bulb ejects some liquid to the cylinders. The squeezed (compressed) bulb recovers, creating a suction pressure that draws liquid out of the reservoir and into the bulb. Subsequent squeezing and recovery of the bulb transfers liquid from the reservoir into the cylinders, which inflates the cylinders to provide the user with an erect penis. The user may return the penis to its flaccid state by selectively activating a deflation mechanism and transferring the liquid from the cylinder(s) back into the reservoir.
It is desirable to provide the user with a simple and efficient mechanism for addressing erectile dysfunction.